Hair curler



May 9, 1950 I H. STEINER ET AL 2,507,356

HAIR CURLER Filed Oct. 27, 1947 j sz fifgizncdd ffi 62 5a?" Patented May 9, 1950 :HAIR CURLER Helen'Steiner and Reginald B. Calcutt, Chicago, 111.

Application ctober'27, 1947, Serial No. 782,350

2 Claims.

This invention relates to hair curlers, and the :primary object of the present invention is to ,provide a new and improved hair .curler .of an elongated construction so as to permit the hair to be wound thereabout easily, and then folded over upon itself after the hair is wound there- .abouts .so as to eifect-a clamping .action against the hair so as to maintain the hair curler in position and to curl-the hair properly.

Another important objectof the invention is to provide a hair curler element of elongated form which is soconstruc'ted and arranged that it maybe folded-over upon itself to provide op- .posed, generallyparallel edges adapted for movement with each other so as to maintain the hair .curler in position, and was to clamp or impinge the hair betweenthe opposed, generally parallel sides.

Still anotherimportant object of the invention consists in the provision of an elongated hair .curler which isso constructed and arranged that -it may be folded or bent over upon itself, the construction being-such'thatthere will be definite foldingparts of the curler so thatthe curler will be bentat:precise,:particular positions to make .the free ends become relatively parallel with the intermediate body portion and cause an impingement of the hair between the free ends and the intermediate body, when the free ends .are'secured'together, with the intermediate body portion.

A still further-object of the invention resides in the :particular construction and arrangement ofsahair curler made of flexible resilient mate- .rial of suchiproportion and contour as to cause the hair curler to zeffectgenerally .parallel parts adapted for contacting relationship with the hair, and to cause 'an'urging or springing action to cause the opposed suriacesof said parts to press toward each other-when the curleris arranged its "closed-operative or hair curlingposition.

:Numerous :other objects and advantages will berapparentthroughout theprogress of the specifioation'which follows.

' Theia'ccompanying :dr-awing illustrates selected embodiments :of the invention, and the views therein are as follows:

:Fig. 1 is "a detail elevational view :of'the improved hair curler, the samebeingshowninits operative connected position;

Fig. '2 "is a detail longitudinal sectional view of one form of hair curler, shown in its operative position, and showing one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of the hair-curler showninFig. '1, before the curler is arranged in operative position;

Fig. 4is a detail longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of'a'hair curler prior to its being operatively connected together to form the curler disclosed in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of another form of hair curler prior to being connected in operative position to form the hair curler disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2.

The particular hair curler herein shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention comprises a body I made of a predetermined length of flexible resilient material, and includes parallel sections 2 and 3. The body 5 may be of the type disclosed in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

The body I is so constructed and arranged as to provide a cylindrical opening or socket 4 on one end adapted to receive a plug 5 formed on its opposite end.

The section 2, Figs. 1 and 2, is made up of the ends 6 and i of the body while section 3 comprises the intermediate or main body portion 8 of the body l. The hair curler, when in its normal operative position for hair curling purposes as shown in Fig. 1, is provided with ends or creasing sections 9, 9 whereby the inner edges ii! and H of the sections 2 and 3 are adapted to nearly contact each other as indicated :at l2, Figs. 1 and 2, to thereby effect a squeezing or hair impinging action toward each other.

The hair engaging, impinging or clamping surfaces it and H are caused, not only by themherent characteristics of the material from which the body I is made, but also by providing the .propersize .wall thickness andmaterial. The body I is preferably made from rubber or rubber-like material, and in the form shown in Fig. '3 comprises the-body i made in relatively tubular form with squeezed or pressed together parts 13, i3, which may or may not engage each other. The parts i3, it may be of .a'weakened construction so as to permit folding over to provide the ends 9, 8, whereby the parts is will be formed .about a radius M, at each end of the device, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, The construction is such that when the plug 5 is inserted in :the socket 4 (Fig. 3), the parts is will assume .the position shownat 9 in Fig. 2, whereby the .central intermediate body portion 8 will comprise-the parallel section d, and the end sections .6 and 1 will form the section 2 generally parallel thereto. The sectionsz and .3 will therefore be urged toward eachother to provide a hair impinging or clamping action so that when hair'is wound around the body part 3, and then the plu-gSis-insertedin the socket 4, the hair willbe clamped'between the generally parallel surfaces lit and -'II'. The device, therefore, will remain secured together, will hold the hair tightly in place, will notbecome released from the hair,

:and :will cause "the zhairto become curled after- -being.removed from the hair. The sameresults 'may be'obtainedbyusing a solid structure as disclosedin Fig. =4 wherein the self-sustainingbody i 'is made of solid flexible rubber or rubber-like material. The body I, Fig. 4, may comprise thin or weakened portions !5 arranged intermediate the ends, thereby providing the same main body part 8 with the end sections 6 and I so that when the device is folded into its operative position, as shown in Fig. 1, there will be the same generally parallel hair impinging surfaces iii and II. Hair is wound about the body portion 8 between the depressed sections !5, and after the hair is wound thereabout, the plug 5 is inserted in the socket. The device, therefore, in its operative position will assume the position shown in Fig. l, and provide the same contacting and clamping action so as to squeeze the hair between the nearly parallel surfaces l and H of the generally parallel sections 2 and 3, respectively.

The body I shown in Fig. may comprise a tubular member of flexible rubber or rubber-like material, and relatively straight, as shown in Fig. 5. The hair is wound around the body intermediate the ends thereof, but when the plu 5 is inserted in the hollow socket end 4, the device will crimp or collapse, as indicated at 9, about the radius M at each end so that there will still be provided the same generally parallel sections 2 and 3 clamping against each other as indicated at H] and II. It is desirable that the wall section of the body I, shown in Fig. 5', be of a predetermined thickness as compared with the normal diameter of the tubular body. In actual practice the body i (Fig. 5), which is made from a rubber or rubber-like flexible tube, is substantially three and three-fourths inches from its left-hand end it to its right-hand end N, Fig. 5. The diameter of the tube, that is the outside diameter, is three-eighths of an inch overall, while the Wall thickness is about one-sixteenth of an inch. The cylindrical plug 5 is approximately one inch in length and is inserted in the end 55 so that one-half inch of the plug will be engaged in the tube; the remaining extending half inch of the uniformly cross-sectioned plug is adapted to be received in the socket i at the end i! when the device is in its folded position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The relations of the dimensions of tube body I and the plug 5 set forth above are very important. This is particularly true of the 3.75/1 ratio of the tube length to the plug length as such a relation is essential to achievement of the novel hair curling structure and clamping functions of this invention. It will also be observed that when the thin-walled tube i has an external diameter of three-eighths of an inch, the less essential ratio of the tube length to that diameter will be /1. A hair curler made in accordance with the construction shown in Fig. 5, when it is in its operative position, will have the end crimps 9 formed around the open radius M at each side, with the sections 2 and 3 in general parallelism and in partial contacting, clamping engagement. While a relatively longer plug length would tend to improve the clamping engagement between tubular sections 2 and 3, it would also interfere markedly with the insertion of the end portion of the plug in the small diameter tubing.

The hair curler of the present invention, therefore, comprises a body, which, in its normal operative position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, will have opposed generally parallel sections 2 and 3. The section 2 will comprise the parts 6 and I, while the section 3 will comprise the intermediate body portion 8. The invention, therefore, comprises a hair curler, having generally parallel sections, connected together integrally at its ends by means of the parts 9 which are relatively flattened All and non-circular in cross section. The parts 9 are non-circular in cross section when the curler takes the form disclosed in Figs. 3, 1 or 5. The body I, where it is creased, weakened or reduced in size, will assume a flattened cross section as com-pared to the relatively circular cross section of the remaining parts of the body. It is not necessary that the main body be completely circular, as it may be oval, octagonal, or any other desired shape capable of performing the invention, but, in all instances, the curler, in its operative position, will have a flattened thin section at each end, as indicated at 9, as compared with a wider or broader cross sectional area with respect to the remaining part of the body.

In all instances, however, it is desirable that the device be made of relatively soft, flexible material so that it may be Worn without discomfort, even when applied at night and worn while sleeping.

The device may, also, be made very economically, and it is easily applied and removed.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacridoing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fall fairly within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A hair curler consisting of a length of thinwalled, self-sustaining, flexible tubing of rubberlike material inch in external diameter, and a plug of uniform cross-section having approximately one-half its length tightly fitted within each end portion of the length of tubing to provide generally parallel tubular portions interconnected by collapsed tubular end portions, adjacent portions of the inner parts of the parallel tubular portions being in clamping engagement with each other for substantial lengths adjacent the respective collapsed end portions, the length of the tubing being substantially 3% inches, and the length of the plug being approximately 1 inch.

2. As an article of manufacture and sale, a hair curling device consisting of a self-sustaining, thin-walled tube of rubber-like material having an external diamete of the order of /8 inch and a length of the order of 10 times its external diameter, and a cylindrical plug having a uniform cross-section of a diameter to fit tightly within said tube, the length of the tube bein substantially 3% times the length of the plug, and approximately one-half the length of the plug being secured within one end of the tube. whereby the other half-length of the plug may be inserted within the other end of the tube to interconnect REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Stubbs Nov. 22, 1938 Number 

